How does energy cause climate change?

Question

How does energy cause climate change?

Answer 1

Energy consumption, when the source is petroleum based, leads to carbon dioxide emissions.

This chart clearly indicates the correlation between atmospheric CO2 and climate change in the last 400,000 years.

http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/science...

Answer 2

The climate changes naturally at the same rate with or without energy production.  

Energy doesn't cause it to change in any way.

Answer 3

It doesn't.  However electricity you use in your house is generated many ways, mine is generated with 80% hydro and 20% natural gas.  Burning natural gas generates only clean harmless CO2.  The three main power sources in America are: natural gas, hydro and coal.  Older coal plants pollute the air and generate harmful sulfur dioxide.  However newer coal plants emit only clean and safe water vapor and CO2.

Answer 4

The energy emissions from the sun vary, especially in the UV range.

Even NASA admits this:

"Sunspot cycle: ozone is created by solar UV radiation. The amount of UV radiation produced by the sun is not constant but varies by several percent in a roughly 11year cycle."

http://www.nas.nasa.gov/About/Education/...

From the Weather Experts - Intellicast

"While irradiance changes just 0.1% over the 11 year cycle, ultraviolet radiation changes 6 to 8% and shorter wavelengths even more."

http://www.intellicast.com/Community/Con...

This 6-8% increase of UV heats the oceans which in turn releases CO2 from the LARGEST repository of CO2.   The heated oceans drive the earth's climate/weather = El Nino, La  Nina.  

We have had over 100 years of active Sun which has caused the so called GW/Climate Change.

See Active Sun:

http://spaceweather.com/glossary/sunspot...

We are now headed into La Nina - Cooling Oceans which will bring Colder weather and likely more severe storms.  But with the cooler oceans, CO2 levels should start falling in several months. The oceans hold about 90% of the CO2 on earth - and no one can guess what lies below.

http://www.intellicast.com/Community/Con...

Watch the Thumbs Down from the kids!

Answer 5

The more electricity we use, the more electricity that has to be generated.  About 1/2 of the electricity generated in the US comes from coal power plants.  These plants release Carbon Dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere.  CO2 is one of the greenhouse gases.  Greenhouse gases trap (keeping it from going back out into space) some of the energy our planet receives from the sun.  Without any greenhouse gases, our planet would be too cold for life.  But with too much greenhouse gas our planet will start to warm up.  That's the connection between energy use and global warming (AKA climate change).

Answer 6

It's not energy, its the emissions from the sources of energy we choose to use.